The synopsis of Maine’s debate on school administration consolidation is posted, bullet point by bullet point, in a two-page downloadable document on the Web site of the Jay School Department.

It’s an aggregate of topics raised during an April 10 community meeting on consolidation, the preponderance of which reflects concern over education quality, following the possible merger of Jay’s district with neighbors either as close as Livermore, or as distant as Carrabassett Valley.

Taxes and spending issues, by comparison, seem to have evolved from conceptual into concrete. “Administration must be consolidated,” was a point with its own bullet in the Jay document, a sentiment likely similar around Maine.

Mind-sets are apparently changing. What started as Gov. John Baldacci’s ambitious post-Taxpayer Bill of Rights response to reduce taxes is turning toward efforts to preserve educational experiences within Maine schools.

As lawmakers make their post-spring break return this week, they should be mindful of this shift. Though concerns about classroom impact have circulated since consolidation was introduced, their importance is growing as the administrative proposals, and savings, become solidified.

This is a testament to the hot coals trod by a four-person subcommittee in Augusta, which has crafted a sensible consolidation plan to reduce school districts from 156 to 80, make the benchmark for student population 2,500, and allow districts to invite collaboration by selecting their own “dance partners.”

In the biannual budget, consolidation is estimated to save $36.5 million, the apportionment of which won’t make a huge dent in tax burden. It does, however, carry long-term financial benefits from streamlining services, a point proponents have repeated. Long-term impact on the classroom, teachers and students is the growing concern now.

So even though the budget isn’t final, the public seems to have booked the savings.

One of the undecided parts of consolidation involves simplifying budget review and adoption within the new “regional school unit” structure, as designed in the latest proposal; the full Appropriations Committee is expected to decide this part of the plan in coming hearings.

It’s a critical obstacle, because making financial savings crystal clear is key to the success of consolidation. Not to solely trim nickels and dimes from property taxes, however, or exact some kind of pecuniary vengeance against school administrators, long accused of earning exorbitant salaries.

Rather, lawmakers need fiscal clarity to convince a wary public that savings from consolidation won’t hurt the education of Maine students, ability of teachers, or supplies available in classrooms.

For if they do, the public acceptance of consolidation might unhesitatingly be given right back.